RURAL development and agrarian reform (DRDAR) MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane has called on farmers and unemployed agricultural studies graduates who wish to apply for support from his department to submit their requests before the end of June.
He said all the young people who had been calling his department to request support now had an opportunity to apply for resources and equipment that will help them start their businesses. “We are making this invitation to the farmers and unemployed agriculture graduates to help them structure their produce and grow their businesses by giving them access to resources and material they need to participate in the agriculture economy,” Qoboshiyane said.
He said all those who would like to participate in the land care, benefit from agricultural infrastructure, food security, cropping programmes and homestead gardens, livestock improvement scheme programmes of the department for the 2018/19 financial year should apply at their local offices of DRDAR. “Our department is inviting all farmers, emerging, commercial, communal, households and unemployed agriculture graduates who wish to apply for support from the department to submit their requests to all our local offices between now and mid June 2017.”
Although the department’s budget was limited, Qoboshiyane said, the people of the province should have access to it so they could use the initiative as a stepping-stone to greater things. Those who may experience challenges with this process can contact chief director responsible for district coordination, Hamilton Ntsabo on 082-301-2123. Farmers and unemployed agriculture graduates have until June 15 to request for support to participate in the programmes of the department for the 2018/2019 financial year.
